Bags

ABSTRACT

A wheeled bag comprises a main body having a lower end with at least one wheel and an opposing upper end. An ‘in-use’ length of the bag is defined between the upper and lower ends. The bag has an extendable handle having at least one stem and a handle grip at a distal end thereof. The extendable handle is changeable between an extended configuration wherein the handle grip is operable by a user to pull the bag and a retracted configuration. In its retracted configuration the handle grip is located between the upper and lower ends of the main body such that the bag may be compacted for storage.

The present invention relates to improvements in bags. More specificallythe present invention relates to improvements in wheeled bags, such assuitcases, having an extendable handle.

Wheeled suitcases are commonly used for transportation of personalitems. Typically a wheeled suitcase has an extendable handle that ischangeable from a retracted configuration wherein a grip of the handleis adjacent an upper edge/side of a suitcase and an extended ‘in-use’configuration wherein the grip of the handle is distanced from theedge/side of a suitcase and a user may pull the suitcase holding thegrip.

Extendable handles are particularly beneficial as by retracting thehandle the suitcase may more readily be stored when the suitcase is notin use as the suitcase is able to fit into a smaller space.

The present invention seeks to improve upon the prior art.

According to the present invention there is provided a wheeled bagcomprising:

-   -   a main body having a lower end comprising at least one wheel and        an opposing upper end, wherein an ‘in-use’ length of the bag is        defined between the upper and lower ends;    -   an extendable handle having at least one stem and a handle grip        at a distal end thereof;    -   wherein the extendable handle is changeable between:    -   an extended configuration wherein the handle grip is operable by        a user to pull the bag and a retracted configuration; wherein    -   in its retracted configuration the handle grip is located        between the upper and lower ends of the main body;    -   when the handle is in its retracted configuration the bag may be        compacted for storage by folding the upper end of the bag        towards the lower end of the bag;    -   the bag comprises at least one fastening to secure the bag in a        folded configuration.

In some embodiments the handle grip retracts to a point that isdistanced from the upper end of the bag towards the lower end of the bagby at least 20% of the ‘in-use’ distance.

In some embodiments the handle grip retracts to a point that isdistanced from the upper end of the bag towards the lower end of the bagby at least 30% of the ‘in-use’ distance.

In some embodiments the handle grip retracts to a point that isdistanced from the upper end of the bag towards the lower end of the bagby at least 40% of the ‘in-use’ distance.

In some embodiments the handle grip retracts to a point that isdistanced from the upper end of the bag towards the lower end of the bagby around 50% of the ‘in-use’ distance.

In some embodiments the at least one fastening comprises a strap.

In some embodiments in its extended configuration the handle grip isadjacent the upper end of the main body.

In some embodiments in its extended configuration the handle grip isspaced from the upper end of the main body.

In some embodiments in its extended configuration the handle grip isspaced from the upper end of the main body by at least 5 cm.

In some embodiments in its extended configuration the handle grip isspaced from the upper end of the main body by at least 10 cm.

In some embodiments in its extended configuration the handle grip isspaced from the upper end of the main body by at least 15 cm.

In some embodiments an aperture is provided at the upper end of the bagsuch that the handle may be retracted into a location inside acompartment of the bag.

By extending handle stems through an aperture at an upper end of the bagthe main body of the bag is retained in position relative to the handlestems.

In some embodiments the handle grip may be retracted to a positionadjacent an exterior surface of the bag.

In some embodiments at least one loop is provided at or adjacent theupper end of the bag such that the handle stems extend therethrough whenthe handle is in its extended configuration.

In order that the present invention may be more fully understood aspecific embodiment will now be described by way of example withreference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inside of a bag made in accordancewith the present invention with its handle in an extended configuration;

FIG. 2 is a view of the underside of the bag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 1 with its handle in aretracted configuration;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 3 having been folded.

Referring to the drawings a bag 1 comprises a main body 2 having anupper end 3 and a lower end 4.

When bag 1 is in an ‘in-use’ configuration as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and2 main body 2 is substantially cuboid in shape, being defined by sixsubstantially quadrilateral faces.

Main body 2 comprises a storage compartment that is openable andclosable by a user by means of lid 5, which is comprises a zip fasteneraround three sides.

Located at lower end 4 of main body 2 is a pair of wheels 6 a, 6 b, uponwhich bag 1 may be rested and wheeled when in use.

Located within the storage compartment of main body 2 is mounting 7,which is attached to the base of the storage compartment.

A handle assembly comprises handle stems 8 a, 8 b and handle grip 9.

Handle stems 8 a, 8 b are telescopically retained by mounting 7, theproximal ends of handle stems 8 a, 8 b being retained by mounting 7 atall times of normal operation of bag 1.

At the distal ends of handle stems 8 a, 8 is attached handle grip 9.

Handle stems 8 a, 8 b are telescopically retained within mounting 7 suchthat handle grip 9 is movable between an extended ‘in-use’ configurationas illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a fully retracted configuration asillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In its extended configuration handle grip 9 is located outside of thestorage compartment of main body 2 of bag 1. In this configurationhandle grip 9 is spaced from the upper end of main body 2 byapproximately 15 cm.

That is to say that when handle grip 9 is fully extended a gap ofapproximately 15 cm exists between the top of bag 1 and handle grip 9 inorder that a user may readily hold handle 1.

In this position handle stems 8 a, 8 b extend out of the storagecompartment of main body 2 through an aperture 10 that is positioned atupper end 3 of main body 2. Aperture 10, mounting 7 and wheels 6 a, 6 bare all located in substantially the same plane.

When handle grip 9 is in its extended configuration a user may rest bag1 upon wheels 6 a, 6 b and wheel bag 1 in the manner that isconventional for wheeled suitcases.

In this configuration with main body 2 erected in a substantially cuboidshape the length between upper end 3 and lower end 4 may be consideredto be the ‘in-use’ length of the main body 2 of bag 1.

When the user then wishes to store bag 1 the user may fully retracthandle grip 9 back through aperture 10 such that handle grip 9 islocated approximately in the middle of the storage compartment of themain body 2 of bag 1.

In the present embodiment handle grip 9 retracts to a point that isspaced from upper end 3 by around 40% to 50% of the ‘in-use’ length ofmain body 2.

Once handle has been fully retracted a user may then fold bag 1 roughlyin half as illustrated in FIG. 4. This is possible as the faces definingmain body 2 are predominantly formed of a flexible material (other thanthose parts that are rigid or semi-rigid for structural purposes).

Bag 1 may be releasably retained in its folded configuration by means ofa strap 11.

In other embodiments handle stems may not be mounted within acompartment of a bag but may be mounted on the external face of anunderside of a bag. In such embodiments an upper end of a bag need notcomprise an aperture in an upper face of its main body, but maycomprise, for example, a loop for handle stems to extend through so asto keep a main body in position in relation to the handle stems.

Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of thepresent invention as defined in the appended claims.

1. A wheeled bag comprising: a main body having a lower end comprisingat least one wheel and an opposing upper end, wherein an ‘in-use’ lengthof the bag is defined between the upper and lower ends; an extendablehandle having at least one stem and a handle grip at a distal endthereof; wherein the extendable handle is changeable between: anextended configuration wherein the handle grip is operable by a user topull the bag and a retracted configuration; wherein in its retractedconfiguration the handle grip is located between the upper and lowerends of the main body; when the handle is in its retracted configurationthe bag may be compacted for storage by folding the upper end of the bagtowards the lower end of the bag; the bag comprises at least onefastening to secure the bag in a folded configuration.
 2. The bag ofclaim 1 wherein the handle grip retracts to a point that is distancedfrom the upper end of the bag towards the lower end of the bag by atleast 20% of the ‘in-use’ distance.
 3. The bag of claim 1 wherein thehandle grip retracts to a point that is distanced from the upper end ofthe bag towards the lower end of the bag by at least 30% of the ‘in-use’distance.
 4. The bag of claim 1 wherein the handle grip retracts to apoint that is distanced from the upper end of the bag towards the lowerend of the bag by at least 40% of the ‘in-use’ distance.
 5. The bag ofclaim 1 wherein the handle grip retracts to a point that is distancedfrom the upper end of the bag towards the lower end of the bag by around50% of the ‘in-use’ distance.
 6. The bag of claim 1 wherein the at leastone fastening comprises a strap.
 7. The bag of claim 1 wherein in itsextended configuration the handle grip is adjacent the upper end of themain body.
 8. The bag of claim 1 wherein in its extended configurationthe handle grip is spaced from the upper end of the main body.
 9. Thebag of claim 8 wherein in its extended configuration the handle grip isspaced from the upper end of the main body by at least 5 cm.
 10. The bagof claim 8 wherein in its extended configuration the handle grip isspaced from the upper end of the main body by at least 10 cm.
 11. Thebag of claim 8 wherein in its extended configuration the handle grip isspaced from the upper end of the main body by at least 15 cm.
 12. Thebag of claim 1 wherein an aperture is provided at the upper end of thebag such that the handle may be retracted into a location inside acompartment of the bag.
 13. The bag of claim 1 wherein the handle gripmay be retracted to a position adjacent an exterior surface of the bag.14. The bag of claim 13 wherein at least one loop is provided at oradjacent the upper end of the bag such that the handle stems extendtherethrough when the handle is in its extended configuration.